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Jorge Castro bacl from the dead :(
http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/box...ory?id=2414077
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina -- Few can resist the thrill of seeing him inside the ring again. After all, as he himself declares: "I'm the man who came back from the dead."
Jorge "Locomotora" Castro, 38, is not only the best Argentine boxer of the last decade, but he is also a showman who excels in the world of boxing.
S. Contursi/ESPNDeportes.com
After suffering multiple wounds from a June 17, 2005, car accident, Jorge Castro was hospitalized in Buenos Aires for 30 days, which included being in a coma.
Bad behavior aside -- which of course makes him more fascinating -- his skill with the gloves and his eccentricities outside the ring have transformed him into a living legend, loved by Argentines and respected worldwide.
It's well known that on June 17, 2005, only three weeks after winning a WBA eliminatory bout in Luna Park, and after signing a contract with Don King, Castro was injured in a terrible car accident.
Suffering pulmonary wounds and various fractures, "Roña" was kept in Cosme Argerich Hospital in Buenos Aires for 30 days, 20 of which he has no recollection of.
The injuries listed in the official medical report include a severe trauma in the left lung producing a large amount of swelling, the fracture of a rib on the right side that punctured his right lung, and fractures to the pelvis, right shoulder blade, and right thigh bone.
"I only remember my first two days at the hospital," he said. "I was in a lot of pain but I was conscious. They later induced a coma in order to let me breathe through an artificial respirator. When I woke up, I didn't understand what was going on because I didn't remember what had happened."
What Castro can't remember -- although people later reminded him -- is the unconditional support he received from his fans, who covered his front door with flags, expressing support and wishing him a speedy recovery.
"I've kept all those mementos, and I'm really grateful to my fans. I knew I was popular, but I never imagined how much," he told ESPNdeportes.com.
The truth is that Castro's physical strength, combined with the great medical teamwork led by professor Jorge Arata, performed the miracle.
Sitting in a wheelchair on July 17, 2005, Castro went to his home in Morón, a house he had bought with part of the money given to him for the fight against American Derrick Harmon, whom Castro had knocked out in seven rounds May 26 at the "WBA -- KO Against Drugs" Festival, becoming the WBA's mandatory light-heavyweight contender.
The day after the accident, this journalist reached Castro and spoke with him. Although he could barely breathe, he said things I will never forget.
"I screwed up, huh?" was the first thing he said as soon as he saw us, just like a kid admitting he made a mistake.
Nonetheless, the naughty boy inside Castro soon appeared. "I will fight [WBA light heavyweight champion Fabrice] Tiozzo in about three months," he said defiantly.
Born Again
Time has passed and Castro is the same as always. The confirmed joker. The irresponsible one. The insanely brave man. The idol. An incomplete physical rehabilitation is now in the past. Castro remembers his first days after returning home.
"Along came Dr. Walter Quintero and we had kinesiology sessions," he said. "And the press wouldn't stop looking for me. But for the rest of the day I was really bored, I could barely move."
S. Contursi/ESPNDeportes.com
Belen (right) has been the foundation behind her husband's recovery.
Nonetheless, that situation didn't last for long. Soon began the strolls around the neighborhood, in a wheelchair pushed by his wife Belen, a fundamental cornerstone in Castro's recovery.
"Belen has been great to me," Castro said proudly. "I've had a thousand women in my life. That's the reason I have 14 sons [laughs], but no other woman has been like Belen. She showed she really loves me."
But his wife's unconditional love has not always been enough to stop Castro's desire to fool around.
In fact, after weeks of kinesiology sessions, weight lifting, and even some swimming sessions, Castro momentarily abandoned rehabilitation around November 2005.
By then, his intention of returning to boxing seemed to have faded, and he even considered hanging up his gloves, which in the past would have been unthinkable.
"I'm not a kid anymore," he had said. "That's why everything's harder now. We're going to see if I can return to boxing, I haven't decided yet. But if I have to retire, I will. I don't want to be one of those guys people feel sorry for. I'll have to dedicate myself to something else."
But as all great characters are full of contradictions, he soon changed his mind.
"I'm training to box again," he said. "I'd like my first fight to be at Luna Park, in a really big event."
The comeback began taking form in March, although there was a big obstacle: The Argentine Boxing Federation had to renew his license.
For that to happen, he had to pass some strict medical exams.
"Castro is ready to go back to boxing after passing a serious exam by the ABF Medical Tribunal, headed by Dr. Hugo Rodriguez Papini," ABF president Osvaldo Bisbal said.
With his renewed license in hand, there still are some doubts concerning Castro's physical condition.
After all, it's a miracle he's still alive, according to the doctors who looked after him last year.
But Castro knows no fear when it's time to confront another boxer inside the ring.
Ramón Cairo
Castro, 38, is training for an improbable but valiant comeback bout Saturday.
Having had the glory of becoming a world champion (WBA middleweight, 1994-95) and compiling a record of 129-10-3 with 89 KOs, he fought warriors such as Roy Jones Jr., Terry Norris, Reggie Johnson, John David Jackson, Juan Carlos Gomez, and Vasily Jirov, among others.
At 38, Castro's return to the ring on Saturday will be anything but easy. He'll confront Colombian Jose Luis Herrera, who does not have the same experience as Castro but owns a formidable 13-1 record, with all of the wins by knockout (including two in Argentina).
"Say 'Hi' to the man who came back from the dead. I died, went to heaven, but Saint Peter had the door locked with a double chain," were Castro's first words at the press conference in which he officially announced his comeback.
"The truth is, I don't know how I managed to survive. I couldn't stand seeing myself lying in bed, I had to get on my feet. Now I will surprise everyone who thought me dead," said Castro, who will be making his third appearance in the South American boxing temple.
Already in a boxing session in the WBA gym, Castro trains the left hook that'll stop his rival.
He saves his right as much as he can, but it sure causes damage when it is unleashed. Training is over for the day.
The man who is capable of blending with the Boca Juniors "barra brava" and visiting President Nestor Kirchner the next day, has proven the skeptics wrong.
All the rest is just secondary.
Seemed like a nice guy, and the first person to go a full fight with RJJ. Not to mention he beat alot of other good fighters.
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